Descendents of GUY DE MONTFORT

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Katherine

GUY DE MONTFORT, the Son of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester

He was the 1st Count of NOLA. He was married to Margherita ALDOBRANDESCA di GROSSETTO, Contessa ereditaria di Soana.

Anastasia de MONTFORT

Contessa di Nola (~1271/72- after 1306)

Married in 6 June 1293 Romano ORSINI (1268- 1327), senator of Rome, Conte de PITIGLIANO, Royal Vicar of Rome in 1326.

A.1. Margherita del BALZO (Marguerite des BAUX) (~1384 -~ 1469), contessa di Conversano, married Pierre de Luxembourg, Knight of Golden Fleece (~ 1390 - 1433), son of Jean de Luxembourg, Sire of Beauvois and of Marguerite d’Enghien, suo jure Countess of Brienne and of Conversano, suo jure Heiress of Enghien. Pierre was Count of Saint-Polfrom 1430, which he inherited from his aunt Jeanne of Luxembourg, Countess of Saint-Pol and Ligny; he also inherited, on an unknown date, Marguerite’s fiefs of Brienne and of Conversano, thus becoming Count of Brienne and of Conversano.

1.4. François de Luxembourg (b. ~1455) married his cousin Louise de Savoie (1467- 1530), daughter of Janus de Savoie, comte de Faucigny et de Geneve, andgranddaughter of Anne de Lusignan, Princess of Chyprus, Duchess de Savoie. Their son François de Luxembourg, vicomte de Martigues (~1490 – 1553) married Charlotte de Brosse.

3. Louis de Luxembourg, Comte de Saint-Pol, de Brienne, de Ligny, and de Conversano, Constable of France (1418-1475).

3.1. Married 1. Jeanne de Bar suo jure Countess of Marle and Soissons, Dame d’Oisy, Viscountess of Meaux (~1415- 1462), the only child of Robert of Bar, Count of Marle and Soissons, Sire d’Oisy, who was killed at the Battle of Agincourt. In 1418, her mother married secondly John II of Luxembourg, Count of Ligny and de Guise (1392- 5 January 1441), son of John of Luxembourg, Sire de Beauvois and Marguerite of Enghien, Countess of Brienne and of Conversano. It was Jeanne’s stepfather John, who received Joan of Arc as his prisoner, and kept her at his castle of Beaurevoir. Joan, who was three years Jeanne’s senior was placed in the care of Jeanne, her mother and Jeanne of Luxembourg, John’s elderly aunt. The three ladies did all they could to comfort Joan in her captivity, and unsuccessfully tried to persuade her to abandon her masculine clothing for feminine attire. They earned Joan’s gratitude for their kind and compassionate treatment of her. Despite the pleas of Jeanne and the other two women, John sold Joan of Arc to the English, who were his allies, for 10,000 livres.

They married in 1435. Louis had been brought up by his paternal uncle, who was Jeanne’s stepfather, John II of Luxembourg, Count of Ligny and Guise; therefore the young couple were well-acquainted with one another. John designated Louis as his heir to the counties of Ligny and Guise.

e. Helene de Luxembourg (~1440 – 1488) married Janus de Savoie, comte de Faucigny et de Geneve (1440 – 1491), Governor of Nice (1440–1491), the brother in law of her brother Pierre II, son of Anne de Lusignan and Louis de Savoie, duc de Savoie, prince de Piémont. Their daughter Louise de Savoie married:

- her cousin Jacques Louis de Savoie (d. 1485), marchese di Gex, son of her uncle Amedeo IX, duc de Savoie and grandson of king Charles VII of France

- her cousin François de Luxembourg, vicomte de Martigues, son of her uncle Thibaut de Luxembourg

4. Catherine de Luxembourg (d. 1489) married in 1425 as his 4th and last wife Arthur III de Montfort de Dreux, duke of Bretagne, connétable de France (1393 -1458)

5. Isabella de Luxembourg, comtesse de Guise (as heiress of her uncle Jean de Luxembourg) married Charles IV d’Anjou, comte du Maine, comte de Forcalquier (1414 – 1473), third son of Louis II of Anjou and Yolande of Aragon.. Their children:

- Louise d’Anjou married Jacques d’Armagnac, duc de Nemours(b.1430). Their heir Louis d’Armagnac, Duke of Nemours (1472- 1503), known for most of his life as the Count of Guise, He fought in the Italian Wars and was made viceroy of Naples in 1501. He was defeated and killed at the battle of Cerignola, April 28, 1503 (probably the first general killed in action by musketry), It is considered the first battle in history won by firearms (gunpowder small arms)

6. Jacques de Luxembourg, seigneur de Richebourg (1423 – 1487). Married Isabelle de Roubaix.. His children:

- Isabelle de Luxembourg, dame de Richebourg married Jean de Melun,maréchal de Flandres. Their children: Francois de Melun, connétable de France; Marie de Melun, dame de Montricourt married Jacques de Chabannes, maréchal de France

His son Francesco del Balzo, Duke of ANDRIA (~1410- ~ 1482), Grand Constable of the Kingdom of Naples and Sicily, married his cousin Sancia de CLERMONT-LODEVE, de Chiaromonte, Contessa di Copertino (1407-1468), daughter of Caterina Orsini and granddaughter of Raimondello Orsini del Balzo and Marie d’Enghien. Their children:

b.1. Isabella del BALZO (d.~1533 in France) married in 1486 Federico I de ARAGON, King of NAPLES, son of Isabella de Chiaromonte and Ferdinand (Ferrante) de Aragon, king of Naples.

Their daughter Maria de ARAGON (1503 - 1568) married Alfonso of AVALOS-AQUINO-FRANCAVILLA (1502-1546). Their children:

- Francesco Ferdinando d’ AVALOS-AQUINO-MONTESARCHIO, 5th marquis of Pescara and of Vasto (~ 1530- 1571) was commander in chief of the Spanish army in Lombardy and Piedmont, governor of the State of Milan (1560–63) and viceroy of Sicily (1568–71). Married his distant cousin Isabella GONZAGA of Mantua (1537 -~ 1589), granddaughter of Isabella d’Este.

Raimondello became the richest Italian feudal lord of his era. He was the heir of his mother’s brother Raimondo del Balzo, Conte di Soleto, Marshal of the Kingdom of Naples (d.1375 Naples), taking also his family name.

b.2. Alfonso II King of NAPLES, Duke of CALABRIA, titular King of Naples and Jerusalem, Knight of the Garter (1448 – 1495). A patron of Renaissance poets and builders during his long tenure as the heir to the throne of Naples, with the title Duke of Calabria. Alfonso was obliged to abdicate 25 Jan 1495 in favour of his son, and retired as a monk to Mazzara in Sicily. Married in Milan in 1465 Ippolita Maria SFORZA, daughter of Francesco Sforza, duke of Milan and Conte di Pavia and Bianca Maria Visconti. Their children:

b.3.Federico I de ARAGON, King of NAPLES ( 1452 – 1504). The last King of Naples of the House of Trastámara, ruling from 1496 to 1501. Louis XII King of France and Fernando II “el Catolico” King of Aragon agreed secretly at Granada Nov 1500 on a partition of the Italian territories. Federigo threatened again by French troops called on Aragon for its support, but he fell into the trap and was obliged to abdicate Sep 1501 in favour of Louis XII. As compensation, he received the county of Maine and 50,000 livres. He married

1. Anne de SAVOIE (1455- 1480) daughter of Amedee IX , Duc de SAVOIE (1435 – 1472), granddaughter of Anne de Lusignan. Their daughter Charlotte de ARAGON, Princesse de Taranto ( aft. 1478 – 1506). Brought up in France, she spent most of her life at the French court. Cesare Borgia wanted to marry her, but she refused. Married Guy XV, Comte de LAVAL. Their daughter Anne de MONTFORT LAVAL (1505 – 1553) is the mother of Louis (III) de la TREMOUILLE, 1st Duc de THOUARS (1521-1577)

2. his cousin Isabella del BALZO (d.~1533), granddaughter of Gabriele del Balzo. Frederick and Isabella spend the years after 1501 in exile. Isabella initially escaped to Ischia with her children, but later followed Frederick to France, where he was given an allowance. Frederick died in Tours on 9 November 1504. Isabella found a refuge for herself and younger children in the Duchy of Ferrara under the protection of Frederick’s nephew Alfonso d’Este, and lived there until her death, never remarrying. Their children:

Their daughter Maria de ARAGON (1503 – 1568) married her cousin Alfonso d’ AVALOS (1502-1546), Marchese del Vasto, son of Indico del Vasto and Laura Sanseverino. He commanded the advanced guard at the battle of Pavia, and took part in almost every battle between the French and Imperialists, and went with the Emperor to Tunis in 1535, was a liberal patron of letters and arts, and was very popular as Governor of Milan. He was a noted gallant and a great dandy. Brantôme writes of him–”qu’il était si dameret qu’il parfumait jusqu’aux selles de ses chevaux. Alfonso d’Avalos (1502-1546) led pivotal military campaigns against France and Turkey, eventually ruling Milan and serving as commander general of Italy under the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. raised in the lively, intellectual court of Naples, which included his aunt, the poet Vittoria Colonna, Avalos also became a leading patron of High Renaissance literary and artistic culture.

His son Pier Luigi FARNESE, 1st Duke of PARMA, Piacenza and Castro (1503 – 1547) married Gerolama ORSINI (~ 1570), great granddaughter of Guido Orsini, daughter of Luigi Orsini and his wife and first cousin Giulia Conti, paternal granddaughter of the 6th Counts of Pitigliano. Their children:

- Alessandro SFORZA (1534-1581), magister. Papal chaplain. Scriptor of apostolic letters. Cleric of the Apostolic Chamber, January 12, 1554. Canon of the patriarchal Vatican basilica, Rome, April 18, 1554, legate in the entire State of the Church, in addition to his legation in Bologna, to eradicate the banditism, July 11, 1580.

- Piero (or Pietro) Strozzi (1510 – 1558), Italian military leader, marshal of France in 1554, superintendent of the Papal army and lord of Épernay in 1556. His son, the famous Filippo di Piero Strozzi or Philippe Strozzi) (1541 – July 27, 1582). In 1564 he came on help to Emperor Maximilian II during the Ottoman invasion in Hungary, and the following year he faced again the Ottomans at the siege of Malta. From there he moved to Rome, called to counter the Turk menace in the Adriatic Sea, distinguishing himself in the defence of Ancona. He later fought also in Transilvania. In 1569 was appointed sole Colonel General (commander-in-chief of the army) of France, and subsequently took part to the long siege of La Rochelle. In 1573 foughts alongside the House of Orange against the Spaniards.

- Leone Strozzi (1515 – 1554). In 1530, Strozzi became Knight of the Order of Malta, for which he was Prior in Capua. In 1536, he was named commander of the galleys of the Order, a position he held again in 1552.

- Ferdinand I de MEDICI (1549 -1609) married Cristine de LORRAINE (1565- 1637) daughter of Claude de Valois, princess of France, daughter of king Henry II and Caterina de Medici. Their son Cosimo II de MEDICI Grand Duke of TUSCANY (1590 – 1621) married Maria Magdalena von Habsburg, granddaughter of Emperor Ferdinand I.

Giovanni Orsini archbishop of Naples before February 13, 1400, cardinal priest of Ss. Silvestro e Martino ai Monti in the consistory of June 12, 1405; named a senator by Pope Innocent VII. Participated in the conclave of 1406, which elected Pope Gregory XII. worked for the union of the church with the pseudocardinals created by Antipope Benedict XIII. Attended the Council of Pisa. Participated in the conclave of 1409, which elected Antipope Alexander V. Administrator of the see of Pécs, September 4, 1409 until August 13, 1410. He had a considerable role in the Council of Constance, where he presided the 5th session. Participated in the conclave of 1417, which elected Pope Martin V. Named legate in France, he left Constance on April 2, 1418 with Cardinal Pietro Filargis; their mission was to try to reestablish the peace between the kings of France and England; returned to Florence on March 18, 1419. Named legate in Marche Anconitana. Named grand penitentiary toward 1419. He was absent from the curia from May 23 to September 17, 1421. On January 16, 1426, he was named legate in Hungary and Bohemia; and the following February 17, in Germany to combat the Hussite heresy; Protector of the Order of the Friars Minor (Franciscans). He was a great friend of the arts and letters, and had a rich collection of books and 254 manuscripts, which he donated to the Vatican basilica.

A.1. Guido Orsini (d.after 1430), Nobile romano, renounced at his rights after marrying a woman without a nobiliar title. His children Parente (d. after 1460), Troilo, Penelope (d. in 1465), mistress of his cousin

1. Orso Orsini Duca di Ascoli, Conte di Nola, Marchese di Monforte, Manfredano e di Forino (d. Viterbo 1479), fought as condottiero under the Duke of Milan and the Republic of Venice. Later he passed to the service of Ferdinand I of Naples, but, having not took part to the Barons’ conjure, was rewarded with the fiefs of Ascoli and Atripalda. He took part to the Aragonese campaign in Tuscany and was killed in the siege of Viterbo.

- Equipped with the reputation that comes from a famous name, the connections and dynastic links with many of the ruling families of Italy, and with their own private fief as a base, both Niccolò, and his father Aldobrandino made careers as mercenaries taking Condotte (mercenary contracts) with Florence, Siena, the Pope, and the Kingdom of Naples at various times.

- Alessandro SFORZA (1534-1581), magister, Papal chaplain, Scriptor of apostolic letters. Cleric of the Apostolic Chamber, January 12, 1554. Canon of the patriarchal Vatican basilica, Rome, April 18, 1554, legate in the entire State of the Church, in addition to his legation in Bologna, to eradicate the banditism, July 11, 1580.

- Francesca Sforza married Girolamo Orsini, duke of Bracciano, son of Giovanni Giordano Orsini and of Felicia della Rovere. Their sons Virginio and Orazio Orsini died at the battle of Lepanto. Their son Paolo Orsini, duke of Bracciano married Isabella de Medici, principesa di Toscana, daughter of Cosimo I de Medici.

3. Orso Orsini (died July 5, 1479) was count of Nola and fought as condottiero under the Duke of Milan and the Republic of Venice. Later he passed to the service of Ferdinand I of Naples, but, having not took part to the Barons’ conjure, was rewarded with the fiefs of Ascoli and Atripalda. He took part to the Aragonese campaign in Tuscany and was killed in the siege of Viterbo.

Cristovao CAETANI, Conte de FONDI. His son Honorato CAETANI, Conte de FONDI, (d.~. 1491). His son Balthasare Caetani married (d.~ 1480) married Antonella CARACCIOLO. Their daughterMondella CAETANI married his cousin Girolamo di SANSEVERINO, Principe de BISIGNANO. Their children: